Daddy's Little Slayer
by Alexannah
Summary: CH3 UP! An infected wound from patrolling puts Buffy in the hospital, while her mother makes an interesting discovery concerning Giles and her trip to England seventeen years ago. GilesJoyce -NOW BETA'D-
1. Big Bugs

**Summary:** An infected wound from patrolling puts Buffy in the hospital, while her mother makes an interesting discovery concerning Giles and her trip to England seventeen years ago.

**Rating:** T for bugs (the insect kind, not the computer kind)

**Disclaimer:** Buffy and co belong to Joss Whedon, etc. I own nothing.

**Author's notes:** I have no idea if anything like this has been done before in the Buffy fandom, being pretty new to it. Until recently I lurked solely in the Harry Potter fandom where this type of bunny is very common, which I guess is where I got the idea from. As I had the idea back before I saw any series other than the first, I've left it pretty much a post-series one fic with just the odd small element of later series, e.g. Wesley appearing. The nature of the plot is very AU, so if you can't stand anything that deviates from canon, don't bother to read. Otherwise, give it a try.  
I didn't list Angel/Buffy in the summary because, first, they're not actually a couple in this fic, and second, I'm a Spike/Buffy fan myself and want to leave a certain amount of space romance-wise in case of a sequel involving my favourite vamp, which I actually had a plot bunny for a while ago. Angel will still play a part, however.  
As I'm British, I'm going to be writing in British English, except for dialogue when I will keep to the character's speech patterns. Just thought I'd warn you now so I don't get accused of inconsistency.

* * *

**Daddy's Little Slayer**

by Alexannah

**Chapter One: Big Bugs**

"_Ouch!_"

"Buffy, watch out!" Angel called, a little late.

"Thanks, I got it."

There was an unmistakeable slicing sound and silence. Buffy appeared from behind a large headstone, examining a gash across her palm.

"Pesky demon badly needs a manicure. Look what it did. I'm not going to be able to hold a pencil for a week."

"Let me see." Angel drew nearer and pulled a clean white handkerchief from his pocket. "Here."

"You carry a handkerchief?" Buffy said curiously, as Angel gently tied it around the wound. "Do vampires actually get runny noses?" Buffy stopped and raised her eyes heavenward. "That sounded better in my head."

Angel smiled. "No, not really. I just carry it out of habit, I suppose. No Kleenex in my day."

"No, suppose not. Ow."

"Sorry."

The handkerchief smelled faintly of Angel. Buffy smiled. "Thanks. I'd better go and report to Giles. Do you know what that one was?"

He shook his head and they began walking out of the cemetery. "It didn't look familiar. Just looked like an overgrown cockroach to me."

"Don't mention it to Xander. For some reason he hasn't exactly been crazy about bugs since Miss French nearly decapitated him."

"My lips are sealed."

"Thanks." Buffy yawned. "Actually, I'm kind of beat. Maybe I'll talk to Giles tomorrow."

"You want me to walk you home?" Angel offered.

"I wouldn't say no."

The two of them walked in companionable silence all the way to Buffy's house. Angel paused outside the door.

"Well, goodnight," he said quietly.

"Night, Angel. And thanks again."

Joyce was still up, watching television. "Buffy, you're home a little early."

"I'm a bit tired." Buffy flopped onto the couch next to her mother. "What are you watching?"

"Nothing good." Joyce flipped the channels. "There's a low-budget black and white horror on."

"No thanks. Anything better than that?"

"Not really." Joyce handed her the remote. "See for yourself."

Buffy did. "Want to watch a video, Mom?"

Joyce smiled. "Shall I make the popcorn?"

The two curled up together on the couch. Joyce ate most of the popcorn. Buffy was beginning to feel slightly off. As the credits went up, she closed her eyes and nearly dropped off.

"Honey, are you alright?"

"Huh?" Buffy looked up. "Oh." She shook her head slightly. "I'm not feeling too good."

Joyce felt her forehead. "You're a little warm. Why don't you go to bed now and see how you feel in the morning."

"Think that's a good idea," Buffy mumbled, standing up slowly.

"Do you want me to bring you something? Hot chocolate, perhaps?"

Buffy smiled. "Hot chocolate sounds good."

As she turned to exit the living room, Buffy noticed a cardboard box resting on the dresser, a dusty photograph album lying on top. "What's that?"

"That's my England collection," Joyce answered. "Photos, things I bought there. You know how unorganised I am. I never really sorted it out. I just found it under the bed in the spare room and thought I'd look through it."

"When did you go to England?" Buffy asked in curiosity. This was something in her mother's life she had not yet heard about.

"Years ago, before you were born. I was there several months. For a while I thought I might stay permanently, but it didn't work out," Joyce murmured.

"Was it nice?"

"Very."

Buffy looked at her mother. A sort of dreamy, faraway look had appeared in Joyce's eyes. "I loved it there." She seemed to shake herself out of it. "But like I said, it didn't work out." She paused. "I'll get you your hot chocolate, honey; go to bed."

It was a blissful relief to sink into the cool sheets, and Buffy drifted off almost straight away. When Joyce came up with her hot chocolate, she found her daughter fast asleep and still fully clothed.

**TBC …**


	2. Communication

**Chapter Two: Communication  
**  
"How did patrolling go?" Giles asked, looking up as he heard someone enter the library. "Oh, hello, Willow. Where's Buffy?"

"Good question." Willow dropped her bag onto a seat. "She didn't show up for class this morning."

Giles frowned. "She didn't call in after patrolling last night, either."

"You think something happened to her?"

Noticing the sudden anxiety in Willow's voice, Giles said quickly, "I'm sure it's nothing to worry about. I'll call her home to see if she's off sick." He pulled the telephone towards him and started dialling. "Where's Xander?"

"Detention."

"What did he do now?"

"He killed the science class specimens." When he gave her an odd look, Willow explained, "Preying mantises."

"_Ah._"

Giles heard the engaged tone and hung up. "The line's busy. I'll try again in a minute."

* * *

Buffy had slept all morning and part of the afternoon. Joyce had been in and out to check on her, in between phone calls to the gallery. Her temperature had risen quite a bit more, and Joyce considered calling a doctor, before Buffy started to stir.

"Honey?" Joyce said gently.

"Mm-mm?"

"How are you feeling?"

Buffy turned over and opened sleepy eyes. "What time is it?"

"Just past lunchtime."

"What?" Buffy started to sit up, but froze halfway, putting a hand to her head. "Ow."

"Headache?"

"Think I'm gonna be sick."

Joyce acted quickly, fetching a plastic bowl from the bathroom, but Buffy just groaned and lay back down. "It's horrible."

"I'll leave this here for you in case," Joyce murmured, stroking her daughter's hair out of her face as the telephone rang. She kissed Buffy's forehead and left the room quietly.

* * *

"Hello?"

"Mrs. Summers?" Giles asked into the phone.

"Speaking."

"This is Mr. Giles, from Sunnydale High."

There was a tutting noise from the other end. "Honestly, Mr. Giles, I'm not very impressed by the communication in that school. My daughter is home sick with a fever, which I have already told the office _and_ the Principal in person – Hold on, aren't you the librarian? What are you doing phoning about -"

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Summers," Giles cut her off quickly. "I wasn't calling in an official capacity. We were just concerned when Buffy didn't show up for … Homework Club. Tell her we hope she feels better soon."

"I'll pass on the message. She'll like that. Who shall I say it's from?"

"Rupert Giles, Xander, and Willow."

"And me," said a voice. Giles looked round. "Who are we sending get-well wishes for?"

Giles mouthed "Buffy" at her and added to Joyce, "And Cordelia Chase sends her regards as well."

"And add that I hope she sorts that hair problem out soon."

"Thank you, Cordelia, I don't think that's really necessary. Did you get all that, Mrs. Summers? … Mrs. Summers?"

There was absolute silence at the end of the phone, before she finally squeaked "Yes!" and hung up in a hurry.

Giles stared at the phone for a moment before replacing it where it belonged. Obviously, some of Buffy's odd little quirks ran in the family.

* * *

Joyce remained silent, staring at the phone even after she had replaced it.

Rupert Giles.

Why hadn't she guessed before, asked before? She knew Buffy was friends with an English man named Giles; but the name wasn't exactly unheard of, it had never occurred to her to ask her his first name to put her mind at rest. She just assumed it was a coincidence.

There was even probably more than one Rupert Giles out there. But Joyce had recognised his voice before he had told her his name.

It couldn't be. It _couldn't_ be – that _her_ Rupert just _happened_ to turn up in Sunnydale when they did? Especially considering that the Rupert Joyce had met seventeen years ago had never left his home country.

Had he tracked her down somehow? Did he still feel for her? If so, why didn't he come and see her to talk, or at the least properly let her know he was there?

And what about Buffy? Had he seen her age, worked out the possibilities? Joyce didn't know what to think.

The whirling of her thoughts was interrupted by a call from upstairs. She dropped the phone and raced up to Buffy's bedroom. Buffy was sitting up, looking very pale and shaky and clutching the plastic bowl to her.

Rupert Giles could wait. Joyce forcefully pushed him out of her mind. Right now, her daughter needed her, and she was going to give her her full attention.

**TBC …**


	3. No Such Thing as Coincidences

**Chapter Three: No Such Thing as Coincidences**

Buffy spent the day drifting in and out of uneasy sleep. When she was awake, her head pounded, her stomach turned and she continually felt as if she was about to throw up. It was also easier to avoid her mother's fussing, which was worse than ever, when her eyes were closed. Normally Buffy quite enjoyed a bit of attention when she was sick, but Joyce was over-doing it, barely leaving her side. Buffy could only conclude that either she was sicker than she realised or her mother felt guilty about something.

Joyce had phoned the doctor came sometime in the afternoon, who had said it was probably just a nasty bug that would only last a few days. Joyce continued her fussing after he left, and Buffy decided it had to be the guilt reason.

"Mom," she finally croaked when she opened her eyes to see Joyce sitting beside her. "What's wrong?"

Joyce's eyes widened in surprise. "What? Nothing's wrong, honey. Other than your being ill, I mean."

Buffy struggled to sit up slightly. "Mom, you're a crap liar."

"Watch your language, young lady."

"Don't try to change the subject." Buffy fixed her mother with what she hoped was an interrogative stare. "Spill. What's bugging you?"

Joyce dropped her eyes. "Buffy …"

"Yes?

Her mother sighed in a resigned way. "All right, you win." She paused. "Buffy, how well do you know Mr. Giles?"

Buffy blinked. This was not what she had expected. "He's the school librarian, Mom."

"I know that." Joyce sounded slightly annoyed. "But you are always in the library with your friends, and he made a personal phone call to make sure you were all right when you didn't turn up at school."

"He did?" _Probably to make sure a demon didn't get to me last night_, Buffy thought.

"Has he said anything to you, Buffy? Anything… strange?"

"Strange like how?"

There was a long silence. Buffy waited. Joyce's hands were twisting nervously, and she finally blurted out, "I used to date him."

Buffy's mouth fell open. "Huh? What?"

"I dated a Rupert Giles for a while – when I was in England," Joyce explained.

"And you didn't mention this before because …"

"Because I didn't know it was him. Not until I heard his voice on the phone earlier." Joyce closed her eyes and sat down on the bed. "And I have no idea if he knows it's me or not."

Buffy's mind struggled to take in her mother's words. "Well, you won't know unless you ask him, will you?"

Joyce sighed. "You're right. I should call him back." She stood up, and said, "Actually on second thought, if he doesn't know it's me, telling him over the phone is perhaps not a good idea."

"Tell him to come over." By now Buffy had rolled over and was beginning to doze off again. "M'sleepy now."

"I'm sorry, honey." Joyce kissed Buffy and left her to fall asleep again.

* * *

After half an hour of trying to muster the courage to call Giles back, Joyce decided to take an alternate route and instead looked his home number up in the phone book. She left a short message on his answering machine, telling him that he was welcome to come over after work to see Buffy for himself. She wasn't sure what else to say.

Around four o'clock, Giles found the message and called back. Joyce was hanging out the washing at the time, and Buffy stumbled out of bed and picked up the phone. Not wanting to embarrass Joyce if it turned out her mother was wrong, she didn't say anything to Giles about why Joyce had requested _he_ come over, and so she told Giles it was fine if he, Xander and Willow all came over to visit. She was not feeling so bad now – hot and shaky, but a little stronger and eager to see her friends.

Joyce re-entered her bedroom as Buffy was getting back into bed.

"Mom, that was Giles – he and Xander and Willow are on their way over."

"What?" Joyce stared at her. "I only asked Rupert to come."

"Sorry, Mom, I didn't think it was my place to say anything."

"It's all right, honey." Joyce sighed. "I can talk to him while you're with your friends, I suppose. It's not the perfect arrangement but I can't just blurt it out over the phone."

"No, that wouldn't be good. Don't worry Mom, I'll keep Xander and Willow distracted for a while so you guys can have some privacy to talk." Something occurred to her, and she frowned. "Just as long as you're _just_ talking."

"Buffy!"

* * *

Buffy was awake and reading when the doorbell rang, and Joyce, stomach squirming in nerves, took a deep breath and slowly made her way downstairs to answer it.

Rupert Giles would be on the other side of the door. This was the moment she'd fantasised about regularly for so many years. And she was shaking.

_What if he doesn't even recognise me?_ she thought as she pulled it open. She was greeted with three anxious faces.

"How's Buffy?" Willow said before Joyce had even finished opening the door.

"Sh-she's not too bad at the moment. Why don't you all come in, Willow, Xander …" She swallowed as the two entered the house and started upstairs. Up until this point, she had avoided his eye, but she forced herself to raise her gaze at meet it. "A-and you must be Mr. Giles."

He was polishing his glasses, eyes down, but replaced them as he spoke. "Oh," he said, "please do call me R-"

"Rupert?" Joyce whispered, clutching the doorframe for support.

He looked at her properly, for the first time, blinked several times, and his mouth fell open.

"Joyce?"

A long silence stretched as the two of them stared at each other, neither of them really believing what they were seeing. It wasn't until the silence was shattered by a yell of "_Mrs. Summers!_" from Buffy's room that either of them moved. Joyce turned and hurried up the stairs with Giles close behind.

"What's wrong?" Joyce asked, but realised the answer as soon as she entered the room. Buffy was no longer sound asleep; she was fitfully tossing and turning, moaning lightly.

"She was fine a few minutes ago!" Joyce moved forwards and tried to wake her daughter up. "Buffy, honey?" Her temperature had shot right up.

"Joyce, I think she should go to the hospital," Giles said. Joyce nodded.

"I think you're right. Could you go and open my car? The keys are on the kitchen bench." She made to pick Buffy up, but Giles put a hand on her arm.

"No need. I'll take her."

Joyce nodded. "All right. I'll get the keys."

Willow and Xander had remained quiet, hovering worriedly, only speaking up when Giles lifted Buffy in his arms and made to leave the room with her.

"We're coming too."

Giles just nodded.

* * *

The atmosphere in the waiting-room was tense. Giles and Joyce were the only ones there; Xander and Willow had gone to seek out a coffee machine.

"She'll be all right," Giles said. Joyce turned to look at him, and he smiled. "She's tough."

Joyce smiled weakly. "You noticed too, huh?"

He stood and walked over to her. "Come on, Joyce, sit down."

"What are you doing here, Rupert?" she asked quietly.

He looked surprised at the question. "I'm worried about Buffy."

"I don't mean here in the hospital." She met his eyes. "I mean here in Sunnydale." There was a pause. "Did you know I was here?"

Giles shook his head. "No, I didn't."

Joyce gave a small laugh. "Right, you don't leave your home country for years, and then you decide to move to America where you just happen to end up in the same town as me. I wouldn't even take the same _state_ as being a coincidence, Rupert."

"Haven't I always said there are no such things as coincidences?" He smiled at her. "Maybe we were meant to meet again."

"Maybe." Joyce wasn't sure what to think. She started to wonder if he had done the maths yet, and if he was thinking of the possibilities.

She shook herself. That didn't matter right now. What mattered was Buffy.

**TBC …**


End file.
